


early mornings and piano keys

by charlesleeray



Category: The Exorcist (1973)
Genre: Churches & Cathedrals, Confesses With a Kiss, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Piano, Playing Piano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:49:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24514144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlesleeray/pseuds/charlesleeray
Summary: joe dyer teaches damien karras how to play the piano.
Relationships: Joseph Dyer/Damien Karras
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	early mornings and piano keys

**Author's Note:**

> ISHSJAHAKAHAK;:(;/ 🥺💕💞

He’s playing the piano that’s situated on the top of the stage, filling the otherwise empty room with sound. As the morning birds chirp with glee that the sun has arrived, Damien pushes the door open with his shoulder and walks in.  
“Dims!” Joe shouts, his fingers never faltering from the keys. “And how are you on this lovely day?”  
“I’m doing fine... what are you doing?” He shouts over the commotion of the music.  
“Oh, just playing a little tune.” Warmth fills his face as he finishes his melody, and he hops up, bowing.  
“You’re very funny, Dyer. Shoo.” He waves his hand, setting a bundle of flowers near a statue on the stage. Joe happily walks towards him and takes the other bundle.  
“I’d figure I surprise you today. I’ve noticed you haven’t been taking care of yourself.”  
“Oh?” Muses Damien, sitting at the piano’s stool. He’s smiling, watching Joe hop around the stage like he owned it.  
It was fascinating, Damien thought, that someone like Joe would’ve joined the priesthood. They’ve talked about it before, in hushed whispers after dark, when Joe forgets curfew and Damien pretends to forget, and before the campus disciplinarian can find out, Joe’s snuck out of the room like a cat.  
“Your hair,” Joe says, and walks behind Damien, ruffling his hair. “Your eyes are tired, and I haven’t seen you smile.”  
“Oh, come off it. I’ve smiled before, Dyer. Just not with you.”  
“I don’t make you smile, Karras?”  
Joe dramatically frowns, and Damien gives him a soft smile, unsure of what to say. He’d never been good at conversation, and though being with Joe helped him out of his shell, there was still something that was bugging him.  
“Do you know how to play the piano?”  
The question caught him off guard.  
“The piano? Not exactly.” Damien puts his hands on the keys and plays them, much to Joe’s horror.  
“Oh—jeez, Dims— here—“  
He grabs Damien’s hands, positioning himself directly behind him. “Gimme your fingers. Yeah. Alright... that’s C. Press that two times.”  
Damien ignores Joe’s head on his shoulder and does what he is told to, slightly smiling. “Okay, okay. I got it.”  
“This one is G. Press that two times, then go to A.”  
He maneuvers his hands, and Damien leans into his touch. It was almost sobering, and as Joe helped him play, he became aware of what was happening.  
“What exactly are we playing?”  
Damien feels Joe grin behind him. “Mozart.”  
“Doesn’t sounds like Mozart,” he replies. “Sounds much more like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”  
“Who says Mozart wasn’t the bright mind to come up with such a piece?” They finish, and Joe backs away, throwing his hands in the air. “Bravo!”  
Damien shakes his head. “Bravo, indeed.”  
Joe comes back around, placing his head on his shoulder again. “Piano. It’s perfect, isn’t it? Such a romantic instrument.”  
The realization strikes Damien a moment later, while his hands touch the keys in fascination.  
The thought that had been buzzing around in his mind slowed to a stop, and he finally had a chance to think. Romantic was the key word. Love.  
He loved Joseph Dyer. But in what way?  
Definitely not platonically. Romantically.  
A jumble of keys were pressed down on, creating a chaotic symphony that only reflected what Damien was thinking.  
“Damien!” Joe shouts, looking back in alarm. “Oh. Frustrated?”  
He laughs. “More than.”  
Before he can speak out, Joe’s already at his side, showing him where to put his hands.  
“Joe,” Damien says. “I have an appointment in ten minutes.”  
“Ten minutes,” he repeats, focused on the piano.  
“Joe.”  
He stops and takes a step back, the tension in the room growing thick. Damien stares at the keys, then picks himself up.  
“You’re going to be gone the whole day, I presume?”  
“I’m busy.”  
“Wait.”  
Before Damien could step down off the stage, Joe grabs his arms and turns him towards his face. He places a hand on his cheek, pulls it back in hesitation, then kisses Damien on the lips— just for a split second, nothing more.  
There’s a silence that hangs in the air, and Damien goes through everything he could say to Joe, but the only thing that comes out is:  
“Did you have a lemon drop today, Dyer?”


End file.
